Chapter 416: Successful Rescue
Chapter 416: Successful Rescue (Please subscribe, favorite, and vote!)
Jack felt that traveling on the Jackdaw was the most comfortable sailing experience he had ever had. Thanks to the Mystic Plants on board, they had fresh vegetables, meat, and water every day, and even with only three people, the ship produced enough fresh water daily for each of them to take a shower.
To outpace the Black Pearl, reputedly the fastest ship in the Caribbean Sea, Liam even activated the ship's steam engine. Fortunately, the ship's keel and ribs were made of steel, allowing it to withstand such high speeds.
"Alright, I admit my Black Pearl is just the fastest sailing ship in the Caribbean. But seriously, your Magic ship as a Wizard doesn't count in the normal category", Jack said stubbornly after confirming the ship's speed.
The biggest challenge of sailing the open sea is unpredictable weather. After a few days, the Jackdaw encountered a major storm as they neared their destination. This was likely the storm from the movie, with heavy rain and strong winds tossing the ship around like a mouse in a washing machine.
Initially, Liam didn't mind, but after three bowls of borscht were spilled during dinner due to the ship's rocking, he couldn't take it anymore. He rushed out, threw a gold coin with cinnabar runes into the air, and recited the incantation from the Heavenly Thunder Technique to stop the rain.
Soon after the gold coin turned into a golden light and disappeared into the clouds, the dark clouds above them began to clear, the wind gradually subsided, and the rain stopped. An hour later, the entire area was bathed in sunlight. Jack and Will emerged from the sterncastle, gazing at the sky in shock.
"That's the power of a Wizard's Magic. It's simply incredible", Will muttered to himself. Then, as if he had just thought of something, he said to Liam, "But now there's no wind. Won't we arrive later than the Black Pearl?"
"You're right; that is a problem", Liam admitted, realizing he had overdone it and forgotten that their ship also relied on the wind for power.
"Let me think... Ah, I've got it." Liam waved his ringed hand in the air, and within minutes, a gentle breeze began to rise, eventually becoming a perfect wind to fill the sails.
"Looks like we have a powerful Wizard on our side", Jack said to Will, shrugging. The ship, guided by Jack's compass, sped toward their destination.
"Ha, looks like we're first", Rose Crystal called out happily from the crow's nest. The island was deserted, with no ships in sight.
After having Little Qing transform into Vineplants to completely hide the Jackdaw, Liam led the four of them into the cave where Barbossa had hidden his treasure. Sure enough, they found a large pile of gold and silver, with a strange stone chest in the center, filled with gold coins engraved with skull patterns.
"Alright, this is the place", Liam said to the others. "I'll use my Magic to make us invisible and hide around here. Wait for my command before you make a move."
Turning to Will, Liam added, "Especially you, you must follow my orders. Otherwise, I can't guarantee the safety of the captives." Seeing Liam's serious expression, Will nodded firmly, determination in his eyes.
They had been hiding in the cave for only a few minutes when Barbossa entered with Elizabeth and a group of his men. The Black Pearl, truly the fastest ship in the Caribbean, had lived up to its reputation. Confident in their security, the pirates didn't bother to check the cave. Captain Barbossa led Elizabeth to begin the ritual.
Seeing Barbossa pull out a small knife, Will's heart leaped to his throat. But he soon noticed that after raising the knife, Barbossa struggled like a fish out of water, unable to bring the blade down.
"Take action", Liam shouted. Jack and Will immediately followed Liam's earlier plan, using the Valyrian Steel nets embedded with Mithril Runes to cover the motionless pirates. It was then that they realized the shadows beneath the undead pirates had risen, binding them tightly.
Barbossa, on the other hand, was the focus of the Rose Crystal. A tall, purple Crystalseal emerged from the ground, encasing him inside. Naturally, Elizabeth was rescued without a hitch.
After securing all the pirates, Will approached Elizabeth, who looked bewildered. Though traveling with a ship of undead had indeed made her braver and sparked her love for adventure, she was not yet the resilient Pirate Empress who would later face the tragedy of losing her family. She was still a young lady from a wealthy Benefactor's family, and seeing the man she loved and his friends go to great lengths to save her, she naturally threw herself into Will's arms, pouring out her heart.
This time, Will did not display the divine presence he had envisioned in the original story. In fact, the rescue process was only slightly more tiring than a regular trip, nothing like the arduous journey he had imagined. However, the successful rescue of Elizabeth was enough to satisfy him. Not to mention, in Elizabeth's eyes, Will's heroic and noble image was firmly established.
"So, what's our next move?" Jack Sparrow asked, somewhat tactlessly. "These cursed Gold Coins—if we don't remove the Curse, we can't kill them." He pointed to the group of pirates struggling within the nets.
"I can still kill them without removing the Curse. Just look at them", Liam said, gesturing to the bound pirates. Jack Sparrow, curious, moved closer and realized that the pirates' desperate struggles were not due to the bindings but because their skin turned black upon contact with the nets, causing them immense pain.
This was the effect of Valyrian Steel. It appeared that these materials were not only highly effective against undead creatures in the World of Ice and Fire but against most undead beings. Not to mention, Liam had used Mithril Runes designed to combat evil.
"Can I have one of these? I think it might come in handy in the future", Jack Sparrow said. "I encounter all sorts of strange things during my adventures, and something that targets moving dead things could be quite useful."
"Of course, I'll give you one, but you should inform me before you embark on any new adventures. You know I came here for those strange things", Liam nodded, deciding to exchange some Magic Artifacts for the best information source in the Caribbean Sea.
Next, it was time to remove the Curse. Liam called a halt to Will and Elizabeth's romantic display and had Will cut his finger. When the Blood was smeared on the last Gold Coin and returned to the stone chest, the Curse was lifted.
"Alright, let's divide the loot", Liam said, starting to allocate the spoils. Apart from the chest of Gold Coins, Liam divided the remaining treasures into four equal parts, and each person took one. To him, such ordinary jewelry was no longer appealing, so he was quite generous in the distribution.
Next, they reclaimed the Black Pearl. With the help of Shadow Magic and Little Qing, the task was completed in less than ten minutes, marking the successful achievement of all their objectives.
(End of Chapter)
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